At this moment, the only sound that could be heard in the manor was the howling wind and snow.
It wasn't until Maria moved slightly, her cold little hands stirring, that Zhao Lun realized this wasn't a place for idle chatter.
"Are you looking at me? It's snowing, we should not stay here any longer."
"Let's hurry inside to talk."
Zhao Lun felt a wave of guilt before picking up Maria and heading inside.
"Maria has grown taller."
Zhao Lun held the little girl, feeling that she had become a bit taller since the last time they met, and she also seemed a little heavier.
"Maria has grown two inches!"
The little girl wrapped her arms around his neck, her large eyes blinking incessantly with joy and pride.
"My little princess is growing up."
Zhao Lun lowered his head, gently touching her forehead with his own, affectionately rubbing it.
"Giggle…"
Maria became even happier, her face full of contentment. Nicole and the others, who followed behind, couldn't help but smile as well.
"Brother seems to have grown taller too."
"Really? I didn't notice."
"When we get inside, Maria will measure it."
"Sure."
There was a curtain blocking the cold air from outside, and the pets, ever so considerate, nudged it open. Zhao Lun praised them.
"They're getting smarter."
The dogs wagged their tails happily upon hearing their names mentioned.
"Brother!"
"And there's Flash and Snow Shadow, they're also quite clever."
The little girl didn't forget them, mentioning the two snow sculptures that had almost squeezed in.
"They've gotten bigger!"
"Almost two meters tall, right?"
"Six feet!"
"Yeah, they're nearly two meters."
Once they entered the house, the warmth immediately enveloped them.
"Home is still the most comfortable."
Zhao Lun carried Maria to the sofa near the fireplace, laying down comfortably.
The fireplace had already been lit, with smokeless charcoal blazing fiercely, warming up the entire room.
A fireplace was almost a fixture in every home, even if not used, it would be kept.
Despite the technological advances, they had always kept using the fireplace; fire was irreplaceable in a person's heart, no matter the time.
Angela came over with a towel to wipe the snowflakes off their faces.
Nicole stopped the pets, who had been eager to rush forward. The snow outside was heavy, and their fur was covered with snow, needing to be cleaned first.
After they cleaned the snow off, Monica brought over a cup of hot tea, which Zhao Lun drank in one gulp, ignoring its temperature.
The rich, warm tea filled his stomach, chasing away the chill and warming his entire belly.
"Ah! That's good."
Maria buried her head in Zhao Lun's chest, unwilling to pull away, even while he drank his tea.
Zhao Lun had been away from home for so long, only able to write letters and not make calls. She missed her brother so much, it was almost driving her mad. Now, she didn't want to let him go.
Zhao Lun embraced her, changing out of the shoes the maid brought him, and sat down on the sofa.
The dogs, who had been cleaned up, also came over, lying at his feet, wagging their tails and rolling around, acting cute.
The snow sculptures let go of their composure, nudging him gently, rubbing against him while making soft noises.
"Grr!"
The dogs didn't like it, growling in displeasure at the competition for attention.
The snow sculptures, proud and aloof, didn't care about them.
"Heh, you guys…"
Zhao Lun chuckled helplessly, unsure of what to say.
"Brother—"
At this moment, Maria finally released him and looked up at him with her violet crystal-like eyes, a bit worried.
She wondered if she had upset her brother with her earlier playful actions.
"Maria, you've grown taller… and you've become even more beautiful."
Zhao Lun gently patted her back, looking at her again.
Seeing her brother's gentle gaze, Maria felt warmth spread through her and relaxed.
Monica brought over a cozy, warm loungewear for Zhao Lun to change into, then left to give them space to spend time together.
While speaking with her, Zhao Lun glanced around the house.
Aside from some minor renovations, everything else remained the same.
The entire living room was decorated in warm tones, bright and cozy. The fire in the fireplace blazed warmly, filling the room with comfort.
Maria's stomach grumbled, and her little face turned shy with a blush.
The embarrassed little girl almost wished she could bury her face in Zhao Lun's chest.
"Let's go, it's time to eat."
Zhao Lun said, taking Maria's small hand, and led her to the dining room.
Maria had been waiting to eat together with Zhao Lun, so now, finally, they could start.
The dining room was filled with festive decorations. A Christmas tree stood tall, adorned with sparkling stars, red envelopes, stockings, and wrapped candy, surrounded by colorful ribbons and bright red hues, creating a joyous, holiday atmosphere.
The table was laid with roasted goose, duck, chicken, fish, suckling pig, lamb, steaks, pork chops, foie gras, caviar, and other meat dishes.
On another table were a variety of vegetables, such as tomato salad, mashed potatoes, lotus root with five-spiced peanuts, wood ear mushrooms, braised eggplant, mushrooms, tofu, pine nuts, and a light soup in a clay pot.
Both tables were laden with an abundant array of food, with nearly every taste catered to: cold, hot, sweet, spicy, fragrant, and bitter.
"There's so much food."
Zhao Lun's stomach growled in response.
He hadn't had a proper meal since getting off the car, and now, he was famished, feeling like he could eat a whole cow.
Zhao Lun didn't pay much attention to Christmas; it was more of a concern for Maria, Nicole, and Monica. He simply went along with them. Now, he couldn't worry about anything else; his stomach was empty, so he focused on filling it.
"Don't hold back, everyone. Let's eat!"
Zhao Lun raised his glass and began to dig in.
There were no formalities in the house; everyone ate however they felt comfortable.
Everyone immediately grabbed their preferred food.
They ate through the Christmas Eve feast, no need for additional courses, until the table was cleared.
Zhao Lun, Maria, Nicole, Monica, Angela, Ada, and the maids who had cared for them all spent the holiday together.
The food was so plentiful, they ate for a long time, and once it was gone, the empty plates were cleared, and the dining tables gradually cleared.
The pets' meals were also well-prepared, with their favorite foods, and Zhao Lun even treated them to some divine spring water, making them so happy they almost howled at the sky.
After eating, Zhao Lun, feeling cheerful, decided to follow the tradition of Chinese New Year by distributing some gifts.
The maids received red envelopes and brooches.
Nicole, Ada, and the others received red envelopes, brooches, and magical necklaces, plus other gifts tailored to their personal tastes, which only they knew about.
Finally, there were Maria's gifts—magical candies, golden thieves, wandering balls, flying ghost balls, and other fun items, all specially for her.
She also received pretty hairpins and magic thermal boots.
After giving out the gifts, Zhao Lun began preparing presents for his friends, including Hagrid, Norway, Harry, Ron, Fred, George, Hermione, Zhang Qiu, Penelope, and others.
To send out these gifts, Zhao Lun sent his owl and Maria's owl on their way.
By the time he finished, it was already past midnight, marking the beginning of a new day.
The food had mostly been consumed, and everyone had grown tired. The night watch was over, and no matter how others celebrated, they ended their festivities here, all too sleepy to stay up any longer. They washed up and went to bed.
The next day, Zhao Lun woke up, feeling a slight chill on his face.
"Brother, take Maria to play!"
The little girl was full of energy, unaffected by staying up late. She eagerly pulled him to go outside and play.
The snow outside was thick, and it was clear what they would be doing.
"Are you sure? I won't go easy on you!"
Zhao Lun looked at her sternly, hoping to deter her.
"Hmph! Maria isn't afraid!"
The little girl turned her head away proudly, making her intentions clear—if they didn't go, she wouldn't speak to him.
"Alright, since someone is itching to play, I won't hold back."
Zhao Lun decided to skip sleeping in.
Both of them dressed warmly, with thick gloves, and stepped outside.
The snow outside was several feet deep.
A path had been cleared in the yard, but the rest of the yard was still covered in thick snow.
They left the yard, and without saying a word, immediately began to roll snowballs, making them large enough that they couldn't move them any longer. Then they started another snowball.
Quickly, two simple snowmen began to take shape.
"Wow! Snowmen!"
"Maria's snowman!"
Whoosh!
"Ah! Bad brother!"
Maria, happily admiring their snowman, was hit by a snowball thrown nearby.
"Ha-ha!"
Zhao Lun laughed triumphantly before running away.
"Don't run!"
A "war" broke out.
Woof!—Roar!
The commotion was so great that even the dogs came out to join in the fun.
The ladies were also stirred.
"Nicole, hurry and help Maria!"
"Brother, you're so mean!"
"Ah! Nicole, help!"
Maria, tired of being hit by snowballs in the snowball fight, decided
to call for help.
The girls quickly took action.
Zhao Lun was finally cornered.
"Come on! Let's go! Run!"
But he couldn't escape.
Everyone participated in the snowball fight, and the entire yard was in chaos.
Zhao Lun was finally thrown into the snow by the girls and pets. He surrendered and called for peace.
Maria rushed to hug him, and Zhao Lun finally relented.
"Alright, alright. I give up."
A moment of peace followed.
But they didn't stop playing for long.
The snowmen began to resemble something more like them than before.
And so the celebration continued, full of laughter, fun, and warmth.
This scene is filled with holiday cheer, snowball fights, and fun exchanges. Would you like me to continue or explore another aspect?